Cracked Gems
by Darryl2969
Summary: Rated T For future swearing and violence. I do not own steven universe, nor the characters or canon within it. On hiatus.
1. Of blood and money

**So I think I'll have a chapter for the 3 beginning OCs, then after that just a story format. **

Oc intro 1 – Of blood, money, and Citrines.

''What do you mean we were just bought out?!'' I could feel my voice cracking and shaking with every word.

''Sir, calm down. The company that bought us might be able to work with us better than any of our other partners.'' My business partner said, rather calmly. I was pacing the room, thinking at a pace I never have before.

''Surely w-we can work something out, I me-''

''NO! That's the problem with you Joseph; you're too much of a damn dreamer. You don't look in the reality of things as they are!'' I could feel my body quiver with rage.

''The problem with you is that you're too ignorant to see the future of this reality, I can't believe you, you're too impatient and impulsive!'' I screamed almost at the top of my lungs.

''This isn't your decision, go back to your 3 room house you poor piece of washed up filth. It's my business now.'' He turned around and started looking the other way. Before he started talking again I took a large book and hit him in the back of the head with it. He fell down unconscious, making a SHULK noise. As I walked out I thought. _Shulk, falling down doesn't make that noise.._I turned around to see he fell on a can of sharpened pencils, several piercing the back of his throat.

''Oh god.'' I almost was paralyzed, what did I just do. Then I started thinking, he almost ruined me…hell he DID ruin me. I just ran towards the door, got in my car and drove off to my house. I was nervous and jumpy the entire drive. I didn't MEAN to do it, not that I didn't enjoy it though. I had no job now. As soon as I walked in I grabbed a beer and sat down thinking to myself why…

After a few hours of self-loathing and pity I walked outside and started walking towards the down-town area. I looked left and right to my suit; small gems were on there, under the collar of my suit; they were pretty small, so they were never noticed. Yellow Citrine to be exact, and I was raised by a group of gems, who have since now been wiped out, the last one alive told me to conceal it for the rest of my life, so I try. I kind of pretend to be a human, I eat, sleep, drink like most if I feel like it, but the money is where I like to be. I don't really like humans, but I found them…interesting. As I continue walking I almost walk straight into a telephone pole with a piece of paper nailed to a telephone pole. REPOSESSION – HELP WANTED. I thought maybe this could work, so I dialed the person on my phone, the person on the line told me to go to a certain address and bring a car back and I could have the job. Pretty simple for dirty work I thought.

It was pretty late at night, probably 12:30ish, before I moved for it. They lived in the ''ghetto'' area of the city. The person had it parked in their garage. I thought I might have to break in through a door – but then I saw a small window on the side of the house leading to the garage, after some balancing of items I climbed through it. The car already had the keys inside. So I walked around it, opening the garage door with the button first, then got inside and drove it on a highway to the ''dealer.'' I called the number again to tell them I was on my way.

''I have the car – where should I drop it off at?''

''Alright, nice job, that guy forgot his payment at least 5 times, I tried to warn him, but he was too cocky, anyway, there's a garage in the downtown area, Louis street, Park it there.'' Before I could ask anything else they hung up. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw some blood on the side of my face, probably from the err… business dispute from earlier. I thought about how I went from a business Exec, on the 38th floor of a building to a punk repoing cars in the same day. In my almost trance of thought I realized I arrived at the garage, I saw a rather tall man in a black tank top, jeans, and a hat with ''LA'' on it.

''Alright homie, nice job, just park it there and I'll drive it in.'' I got out of the car and gave a casual wave; I was barely a block from my house, pretty convenient. I barely slept any that night, in fact the only way I slept was until I realized something. I don't HAVE to do this, I'm a gem. This is all a big game to me really. I grinned and laughed a bit.

''It's all just one big damn screen play.'' I said to a particular no one listening. And from that day, nothing was as serious as it was.


	2. Insane, or too sane for normality?

OC intro 2 : Insane, or too sane?

Fluorite was born into a poor family with a ''Ingrown bone disorder'' which caused a blue Fluorite crystal to grow into the back of his hands… He never bought that story, not for a minute. He researched and after years he found what ''Crystal Gems'' were. He left home when he was around 17 in earth years to find one for himself. He searched for a long time until he found one named Jet. Jet took him in and explained their history, Home world, the rebellion, everything. She even taught him how to use his weapons – 2 long hooked swords. One day though several other gems came to destroy Jet while Fluorite was gone. He came back to find the place nearly destroyed and Jet's gem broken on the floor- he even found a Aquamarine and amber gem smashed on the ground, she died fighting. There was no hint or anything other than blood any carnage left from it.

Months later he moved to America, even joined the Army. A year and a half of brutal training and he was deployed off to some foreign county. He never really paid attention to them. He was really only in one small firefight, where he was given multiple nicknames ; Deadeye, Devil Incarnate, and his personal favorite Rampage. He was debriefed and all the fancy things but then something surprising happened.

He was given a ''Dishonorably Discharged'' Note for being mentally unstable, grudgingly leaving the base thoughts entered his head. ''Why don't I show them how _MENTALLY UNSTABLE_ I am? He grinned to himself as he pictured what would happen. He planned to enter the base at night.

At around 9ish he hopped one of those large fences with a pistol in hand. He planned to destroy their main hangar area. He almost got there until he failed to quietly dispatch a guard with an assault rifle guarding the hangar entrance. He missed the first shot by a few inches next to his head, he quickly turned and aimed his gun at Fluorite.

''Put the weapon down!'' Fluorite slowly moved closer, but just held his hand and gun up. ''I said put it down you creepy assh-'' He was cut off by Fluorite grabbing the weapon and head butting him so hard he was knocked unconscious, although the scream attracted a guard to sound the alarm. He picked up his assault rifle and ran at every one he saw, firing arrays of bullets at them, until he ran out of ammo and drew his swords and began hacking away at everything in sight, eventually carving a bloody path to the hangar, where he threw a grenade near a large cargo plane while taking a small jet of his own. It was pretty difficult to fly for such primitive people, soon after finally catching on how to fly the thing the military caught up to him in fighter jets, firing several rockets at his wings.

''Oh, I'm sorry I have half of your comrades fragmented brains on my knuckles, should I return them!?'' He screamed at them, not like they could hear him. He jumped up from his seat and grabbed the nearest parachute and jumped out the entrance door. He only pulled the chute close to the ground. He landed in some weird, urban area. Several onlookers began to take pictures and videos with their phones of the bloody man landing in the street. He had grabbed a little too much attention, so he ran into a back alley, where at the end he saw someone sneaking around. His adrenaline and blood still pumping he followed them without a single question. He watching from a small corner as the man in question broke a car window and dove in, trying to drive it, then at least 7 men clad in t-shirts and jeans jumped out from almost nowhere at the sound of the car alarm.

''Where you goin' with my ride!'' They said, aiming weapons from knife, to Uzi, to pistol at him.

''You missed your payment this month.'' The man said with hands up, almost saying it like this way normal.

''Payment? Like I care, get rid of this trash.'' Several of them grinned and before any could start firing Fluorite jumped out from his little spot and began firing at them.

''Little rude to corner a stranger isn't it?!'' He screamed, almost expecting an answer. He walked over to the man in the car a little too casually for his situation.

''You just saved my ass…'' The man in the car said.

''Yeah, don't mention it.'' Fluorite said popping his knuckles. The man noticed the gems on his hands. He smirked a bit and said

''Why don't you join me and we talk a bit?'' Fluorite looked a little confused then jumped in the car. This was the beginning of their little dysfunctional friendship.


	3. A chaotic duet made for three

OC intro 3 A chaotic duet for 3.

Citrine and Fluorite had made some pretty fair money for what they were doing, and with Citrines negotiating and skill to talk people out of or into anything they could convince people they were washing their car for them, and of course if that failed Fluorite would step in. He almost had an aura of ''Walk away or be stabbed,'' around him. They looked like the 2 most different people you'd ever see together. Citrine usually wore black suits with Bright yellow ties and sometimes a black and yellow fedora on sunny days. Fluorite wore really anything he had in his closet. Tank tops, cargo pants, t-shirts, his appearance never really mattered either. He usually would take a few seconds to just comb his hair with his hands. Citrine took more attention to how he looked. He always looked a little too nice with his fancy suits and ties walking around in ''the hood.'' Just recently they had been doing bigger jobs, higher risk higher reward. It had been several days after their most recent ''job''.

Sitting at home, they had gotten extremely bored. '' Should we go check the dealership for a job?'' Citrine asked with a hint of tiredness in his tone.

''Well, it has been a while since a mass murder, why not?'' Fluorite said jumping up and walking out the door to his car, as citrine jumped up and began to follow him. The drive was rather boring; they didn't really talk about anything important. Just casual stuff until they arrived at the dealership. They both walked in the glass doors, looking like their usual polar opposites.

They were surprised to see a woman, about the same height as them, talking to the dealer. Soon after the woman's conversation with the dealer he turned around.

''Ah, there you two are. I've a job for you, and a bit of a surprise!'' The dealer said excitedly.

''I hope it's better than the last surprise I got from someone.'' Fluorite said thinking of one of the few times Citrine's negotiation skills failed and they had guns pulled on them.

''I think you'll like it. It's a new ''coworker''. '' he said, with a bit of a different tone on the word coworker as the woman he was talking to began to walk forward, things were a bit awkward but after shaking hands they were interrupted by the dealer again.

''I do have a job; this one is a bit different from the norm. There's a large truck near the dock area that I need you to uh… deliver to a certain ship for transport across the ocean.'' He handed out a picture to be surveyed so there wasn't any ''accidents'' while getting it.

''Oh, and try not to cause any bloodbaths…again…'' The dealer said eying Fluorite. ''Now, if you are ready, head out.''

The 3 took that as a toll to leave, and they all got in Citrines car, and were unusually silent until emerald spoke up.

''So, are you all always this quiet?'' The woman said in the passenger seat said, with Citrine driving and Fluorite in the back.

''Well, I never heard your name back there.'' Citrine said, trying to focus on the road.

''It's Emerald'' She said with a tone neither of them really knew meant yet. Citrine looked back at Fluorite through the mirror who was giving him an ''should we ask?'' look.

''So err, bit of a weird name, don't you think Emerald?'' Fluorite said trying not to sound rude, and only received a nod from emerald as response.

''My parents were kind of hippies; at least I think that's why, or maybe after this weird thing on my back. It's supposed to be a really rough blood clot from when I was a baby, but apparently it's actually an emerald.'' She sounded as if she didn't even believe what she said.

''I don't suppose you'd know anything about crystal gems would you?'' Citrine said, still focusing intently on the road in front of him.

''As in what, rocks and gems?'' Emerald asked, rather confused.

''I think it'd be best to talk about this after we steal some persons vehicle.'' Fluorite cut in.

Citrine gave a silent nod. ''I think this is the place.'' Before anyone else did anything Fluorite began to walk towards what looked like the truck.

''Hey, wait, you don't know who might be waiting!'' Citrine shouted as quietly as he could.

''Relax, all we need to do is drive it quick enough, so that if someone is coming after us they won't be able to do a thing about it.'' Citrine sighed heavily and gave in.

''Well, at least we should split up. You can take the truck and me and Emerald will take the car.''

''Not even an hour in and you already have a crush on the new one.'' Fluorite yelled as he sped off on the highway. Citrine narrowed his eyes on the leaving psychopath speeding away as he got back in the car and tried to stay right behind him. The drive was very peaceful, considering that they could be shot at very soon. But surprisingly they weren't even attacked; they even got back to the dealership without any thing eventful happening.

''Well done, well done, the money will be here tomorrow so one of you should be here by at least noon.'' The dealer said while signing multiple documents at his desk. As Citrine and Fluorite began walking outside to their car the saw Emerald walking out. Fluorite then asked something a little unexpected.

''Where are you staying?'' Fluorite asked her as she was walking away.

''Oh, well I don't have an apartment yet, so I don't know.

''She could stay with us, we have an extra bedroom.'' Citrine said quietly to Fluorite, who shrugged and responded with a short ''I don't really mind.'' The 3 drove off to the small little urban area of their horrible town.


	4. Accidents and fate

Chapter 4 – Accidents and fate.

It had been a few weeks since Fluorite, Citrine, and Emerald had started working together; they were slowly moving up the criminal ladder, and throwing the people ahead of them off of it. It was a pretty standard job; go into a tightly packed area and try to get the car without being spotted. But it didn't exactly turn out like that…

''That worked out better than the last few.'' Citrine said looking back at Fluorite through the mirror.

''If by better I think you mean bloodbath.'' Emerald said in an annoying tone glaring at Citrine.

''Well, I personally enjoyed it.'' Fluorite said, lying down in the entire row of back seats in the car smiling and looking out the window.

''Well, I tried to talk him down; you tried to bribe him; and fluorite tried to scare the shit out of him.'' Citrine explained, getting a little frustrated with them.

''Maybe if Fluorite didn't pull out a gun in the midst of the conversation; they wouldn't have attacked us!'' Emerald raised her voice and was now turned around in her seat looking back at Fluorite.

''MAYBE, if Mr. Negotiation over there didn't screw it up I wouldn't have had to cut their tiny little skulls open.'' Fluorite said, as both Emerald and himself were staring at each other. Emerald was about to say something until Fluorite told her to shut up, which she tried to reach back and hit him, but missed and fell in between her and citrine's seat. While trying to get back up she kicked the wheel and they swerved off the road and hit something on the left side of the road.

''Oh shit…you idiots!''Citrine yelled getting out of the car looking at who or what they hit.

''Well, whoever it is road kill now, sooo we should probably get out of here.'' Fluorite calmly said still looking down at Emerald who had just now gotten out of the space between the front seats. While Citrine opened the back door and threw a guy who looked about 15 or 16 with black hair, a red T-shirt, black pants and black boots and a backpack in the back seat.

''Looks like we're having a guest tonight thanks to you two.'' Citrine said glaring at both of them.

''Well, when he wakes up why don't we have a bit of a talk with him.'' Fluorite said, putting emphasis on talk.

''How about a talk without implied torture?'' Citrine asked getting back in the front seat.

''But that's how I meant it.'' Fluorite said a bit confused.

''Sure it was…'' Citrine added with a sigh.

**Sorry if this one was a little bit shorter, been busy with school but final tests are next week so chapters will probably be longer. **


	5. Accidents and fate - part 2

**Chapter 5 – Accidents and fate part 2. **

Citrine woke up still tired from the night before, the ''gang'' had been out stealing a car at 2 in the morning. It wasn't the stealthiest approach they've ever done and resulted in a small skirmish. It was going pretty smoothly until Emerald and Fluorite had gotten into another argument. Comment lead to comment until it escalated to a punch, which threw Citrine's driving off course and into someone on the sidewalk. He seemed to be around 15, Black hair, pretty standard Los Angeles clothing in the gang area.

The oddest thing is how he wasn't dead or bleeding much. Sure he was scraped, had cuts and bruises. But the way he was hit with the car and their speed should've killed an average person. Citrine didn't know what it meant, or if he was just missing something but he dwelled on it all night and didn't get much sleep. The ''guest'' was laying on the couch in the living room. Fluorite threw him sloppily onto the couch late in the night when they got home. When citrine had walked in there his position didn't much change…

It was about 7 when Citrine had woken up, and their little guest had woken up at about noon; groaning with pain from the incident.

''Where…am I?'' He said wearily looking up at the ceiling light, probably thinking he had woken up at his autopsy or something like that.

''Oh great, he's awake guys.'' Citrine said, still a bit of him being tired in his voice easily showing. Fluorite was still asleep and Emerald had already left to go somewhere.

''Ugh, who are you, and where am I?'' He said peaking from the couch to the kitchen where Citrine was getting some coffee.

''Well, you had a… tumble… but we decided to take you home with us since you were unconscious.'' Citrine said, trying not to sound creepy; or like Fluorite.

''So… what's your name, and where am I?'' He asked, sounding a little flustered.

''My name is Citrine, there's another person here named Fluorite, and one that left called Emerald. Oh, and we are in Urban Los Angeles.'' Citrine said, still wondering where Emerald had gone.

''Those are some odd names for people in this area...'' He said sounding unconvinced.

''And yours is?'' Citrine asked – a bit offended.

He shrugged a bit ''Most people call me Pyro, but my real name is Pyrope, people at the orphanage said it was a misprinted birth certificate or something.'' He said with a bit of uncertainty trailing from his voice.

''Sounds like the name of a gem; looks red doesn't it?'' Citrine had seen a pyrope gem once in a necklace at a business meeting from his old job.

''Yeah, people say there's one in my back but it's supposed to be a blood clot from when I was little.'' He said, still in disbelief.

Citrine let out a sigh and began to explain the whole ''gem thing'' to him. He sat there like a kid being told a story – intrigued by ever word spoken. Eventually they got to the Rose Quartz Rebellion and then Fluorite began to walk into the kitchen.

''So he's awake.'' Fluorite asked Citrine eyeing Pyro.

''Yeah, and he's err, special like us.'' Citrine said putting an emphasis on the word special.

''Well isn't that just great. Oh, where's Emerald?'' Fluorite began to look around to see if she was here.

''Apparently she left earlier today. Maybe she went to the dealer ship?'' Citrine said practically grasping at straws to think about where she could be.

''Well, you two are having a lovely time so I'm going to go see if she's there.'' Fluorite said walking out the door.

There was a bit of an awkward silence before Pyro asked a question.

''I had a bag, did you pick it up when the accident happened?'' Pyro sounded really worried.

''Didn't see any.'' Citrine said, trying to remember a bag.

''Damn it! That had all my food and water in it.'' Pyro buried his face in his hands and sighed. ''Just fantastic.''

''How about you stay here for a while?'' Citrine asked him.

''Well, thanks. I just need a while to get back on my feet and everything but I can.'' Pyro thanked him before citrine spoke again.

''Let's go look for my friend.'' He said walking toward the car. Pyro shrugged and followed him.


	6. A large Conundrum

Chapter 6 – Accidents and fate part 3.

Citrine has started looking for Emerald around noon – but it was not 3 in the afternoon. He had checked everywhere he could, tried to call her but he just wasn't getting anything. Pyrope in the passenger seat could visibly tell he was anxious. It was what seemed like 30 minutes of awkward silence since the last attempt to call her until Citrine's phone rang. He answered only to hear Fluorite.

''Have you found anything?''Fluorite asked, in a worried tone.

''No, I don't suppose you have?'' Citrine was almost ready to give up, but he had a weird nagging thought at the back of his head that he shouldn't.

''Well, for once I got a little help from a friend. The phone was last active near the docks where we got that last truck.'' Fluorite said. Citrine wondered who his friend was.

''Ok, me and the kid will head there.'' Citrine said turning their car around.

''I'm already almost there, I'll wait on you though.'' Fluorite said. As citrine hung up he gave a bit of an anxious look towards Pyrope.

''So, I guess we're going to the docks?'' Pyrope asked.

''Yeah, I don't suppose you know how to summon your weapon in your gem yet do you?'' Citrine asked, which pyrope responded with a look that told him no.

''Well, here's something to defend yourself with in case something does happen, and try not to get yourself killed.'' Citrine said, handing him a small pistol from the gun compartment.

''You do know how to use it, right?'' Citrine asked, Pyrope then looked at the gun and cocked it.

''I know a lot more than I put off.'' Pyrope said, almost sounding as if he was some type of teacher or scholar. What felt like long drive and they arrived at the entrance to the docks, for some reason Pyrope got an eerie feeling from it. The two walked over to fluorite that was standing next to his truck to the entrance, where his truck was parked.

''There you two are, like I said the signal was last in the back of the docks. We should probably get going as quickly as possible.'' Fluorite said before trying to walk off but being stopped by Citrine.

''Hold it, we need to be careful.'' Fluorite could hear worry in citrine's voice.

''Why, they're just human.'' Fluorite's statement was met with a glare from Citrine.

''Wait, you think they're…gems?'' Fluorite was visibly getting a bit worried.

''Do you really think some humans could kidnap Emerald?'' Citrine walked to the back of his car and opened the trunk, what looked like a sniper rifle with a small symbol on the side and suppressor on the barrel was taken out.

''So, stealthy quiet and to the end of the dock as quickly as possible, alright guys?'' Citrine asked.

''Wait, we're letting him go too?'' Fluorite pointed at pyrope.

''Hey, I can handle myself in a situation like this.'' Pyrope almost yelled.

''Just be careful. I'll keep watch of you two from here. Go around the side, I can meet you at the end with the car whenever you find emerald.'' Citrine set up a makeshift stand for the rifle.

The walk around the small dock area was very quiet. Fluorite and Pyrope didn't even see anyone until they got to the dock parallel to the one Emerald was on.

''What do you see?'' Pyrope asked, they were hiding behind crate, and Fluorite was peeking out from it.

''A van, and several armed guards around it, no distinguishing marks on their clothing. Probably a private company employed by someone, don't know how citrine thought they were gems.'' Fluorite said while scanning the area.

''Think we can take them?'' Pyrope asked, looking back to Fluorite.

''Oh, yeah. Easily, doesn't look like any gems I know of, home world or rebel.'' Fluorite said, sending a message to Citrine's phone telling him to take the shot. Battle erupted faster than any of the guards could respond; citrine's rifle did half of the work, while fluorite and pyrope did the rest of the cleanup. Citrine drove the car there to see that emerald was there, tied to a chair by a chain and gagged inside a shipping crate. Fluorite had already broken them and gotten Emerald out.

''Well. That wasn't anywhere near hard as I thought it would be.'' Fluorite said, stretching from the recent skirmish.

''Do you know who did this?'' Citrine asked Emerald, who was in surprisingly good condition.

''It was… a gem I think, yellowish green.'' Emerald said weakly.

''Well, looks like the trap did work, although I was expecting more guards to live for the next part.'' An unknown voice boomed.

''Who are you?'' Citrine asked, summoning his weapons – 2 long blades that went down both sides of his arms and about 6 inches from his hands.

''Call me Conundrum, but I guess it doesn't matter, you won't be alive that long to remember my name anyway.'' The gem said, almost completely covered in armor. Citrine and the gem had instantly started clashing, although Conundrum kicked Citrine away Fluorite jumped in and got several cuts in on arms and legs but was knocked away too, the warrior then looked at Pyrope who fired several shots at their chest, piercing the armor. The gem then blocked several shots and summoned their own weapon, a large hammer that seemed to have a spike at the end of the hilt. One swing and Pyrope was knocked back into Citrine's car. Fluorite and Citrine fought the warrior at the same time, then a loud boom and scream was heard, Pyrope had fired several more shots into the warrior's face, one hitting the eye, Fluorite getting an idea jumped onto the warrior's back and began clawing at their eyes. The warrior began to stumble and fall. The fight easily ended when citrine dug both blades into the warrior's gem, located on the forehead.

''Well, looks like we have some friends.'' Fluorite said, wheezing from the fight.

''I say we get out of here as quickly as possible, and before more come.'' Citrine said, also at a loss for breath. The 4 got in the car with still had a Pyrope shaped dent in the left side.

''So, was that the home world, or the rebels or an-'' Pyrope began to ask Citrine but was cut off by the only answer he didn't expect.

''I don't know.'' Citrine said, wiping a bit of yellow blood off of his forehead.

''So, this is like the chapters of the story we write?'' Pyrope asked in a joking tone, and again got the answer he didn't expect.

''Yeah. I guess they are.'' Citrine said, almost emotionlessly.


	7. A gem issue

Chapter 7 – Running farther from home

Citrine had been extremely anxious since the incident at the docks. He was worried that somehow, through some manner of folly that even more gems from home world would show up, Pyrope was still a bit confused on who the home world gems were exactly, all he knew is that they were not exactly the kindest people, to his understanding they began making kindergartens on Earth which began draining it, so the Rose Quartz rebellion happened and they fought for the result of their race, and home world abandoned Earth, but some still try to reactivate kindergartens or try to hunt down existing rebellion members.

As far as Pyrope was concerned they were both equally evil to him. On one hand, people that question authority that they have no right to look at wrong, and on the other hand you have a tyrant that controls the masses. Pyrope was on the couch in deep thought about whose side he'd be on if he had to choose, and then Citrine came into the living room and asked him a question.

''Want to go for a drive or something? Need to get out of the house, and it doesn't look like we can do anything at the dealership for a while.'' Citrine said car keys in his hand.

''Why can't we do anything at the dealership for a while?'' Pyrope asked.

''Apparently after the gem business back at the docks we need to 'lay low' for a bit.'' Citrine said, adding emphasis on lay low.

''Why not, I'm a little bored right now anyway.'' Pyrope said, jumping up from the couch.

Citrine just drove around the city for a bit, and Pyrope kept asking more questions about home world and the rebellion. Citrine didn't mind. It just felt a little odd that he kept it of upmost secrecy, even to Fluorite for a while, and now he was talking about it like it was the weather. The questions were pretty generic, the answers even more so. They were easily answered, like who lead the rebellion, or who lead the home world. Then one that seemed so unexpected that Citrine's mind raced for an answer dripped from Pyrope's mouth.

''Is Rose Quartz still alive?'' Pyrope asked looking at Citrine to his left.

''Hmm, I don't think she was destroyed in the war, but I haven't heard anything of them in a while. So maybe someone had a grudge long unsatisfied after the war.'' Citrine said. He almost didn't believe what he said himself.

''Oh, do you think you could teach me to summon my weapon?'' Pyrope asked.

''We could go back to the house and I could try to teach you there.'' Citrine could probably show him. Probably.

Back at the house Citrine was trying to explain something that was as difficult as explaining how to move a muscle, you can demonstrate, but putting it into words is…difficult.

''Just try to concentrate, imagine it in your hands, and then try very hard.'' Citrine still had no words for it really. It took several tries but then in a flash of red light Pyrope summoned his weapon, or weapons rather. 2 short axes with red designs on the blade and hilt. He put them away to citrine's excitement until he noticed something.

''Pyrope, what's on your fingers?'' Citrine asked. There was some weird small gem on each fingertip on both of pyrope's hands. Pyrope and citrine tried to shrug it off but it kept gnawing at their minds for a while. Who knows, maybe they are just a weird side effect?


	8. Larger weights, larger requirements

Chapter 8 – Bigger Weights, Larger Requirements.

It had still been a week or two since the dealer had given them a job, so the four decided they should go and check out the place to see if everything was okay. Citrine was driving his four seat car and they pulled up, Fluorite said he would go in a minute. Citrine was the first to enter and nearly fell backwards at what he saw.

''God, citrine be a little more caref-'' Pyrope was behind him yelling but stopped as he saw what was in Emerald looked a little sick at the sight of it all. All cars in the building had large dents, popped tires, and broken windows. The 3 walked to the back room to see the dealer lying dead across his desk.

''Looks like he has a lot of bruises on him, whoever did this wanted something out of him, maybe a car?'' Citrine said uncertainly, he was saddened from the dealer's death, who he considered a good friend, even though for business purposes he just called him dealer.

''I don't think anyone that wanted a car could've made those dents.'' Emerald said.

''Well, what if they wanted us?'' Pyrope asked. Both citrine and Emerald looked at each other and then at him. Citrine thought about it, and the more he did. The only people they were really in a lot of contact with was the dealer, and it was pretty obvious from the scale of the damage that the thing that did this was not human.

''So, I don't suppose any gem would want us dead that we've met, except the one guy we did kill.'' Citrine said.

''Well, maybe they still want rebel gems dead, or vise versa.'' Emerald said.

''It would make a lot of sense in that the war is pretty much just a long cease fire.'' Citrine responded. Pyrope was pretty much just listening to the conversation, and was pretty confused to be honest. He looked back over to the desk and noticed something shining under the body. He began to carefully began to move it and citrine noticed from commotion.

''What are you doing Pyrope?'' Citrine asked, and saw the same thing. The glowing object was actually what looked like a sword with buzzing electricity between the blades.

''Is that a…destabalizer?'' Citrine asked, he remembered them from the war. The weapon brought up several..unpleasant memories.

''What is this thing? Looks like a weird tuning fork.'' Pyrope was too young to have seen the war, unlike the rest of their group.

''This was…well it would send volts of electricity into a gem and make them recede into it if they were fused. If they weren't fused it would still deal a lot of damage to the gem itself.'' Pyrope realized they were pretty much glorified electric clips.

''So, on a scale of one to twenty five, how screwed are we?''Pyrope asked as the 3 began to walk toward the car again.

''I'd say…honestly twenty if they really know who we are. Four if they do not know.'' Citrine knew that if they did know, it would be 30, but he didn't want to sound like there were no options. The 3 got back into the car to see Fluorite lying down in the backseat almost asleep, almost instantly getting up as the 3 got in the car.

''Well, what did he say, is he there?'' Fluorite was pretty curious, and he needed a bit of money.

''He's dead.'' Emerald said coldly.

''Oh, and he had this thing.'' Pyrope said holding a destabalizer up.

''So it was really them, wasn't it?'' Fluorite asked Citrine, to which Citrine only responded with a nod. The 4 instantly began to discuss what they could do if it was really the home world or the rebels. For all they know it could've been one of them sleepwalking or something.

''Do we just play it by ear for now?'' Pyrope asked.

''Well, I'd like to be on a higher alert from now on, but the main focus is we are out of work now.'' Citrine said.

''Oh don't worry about that. I got a pretty nice job from an old friend.'' Fluorite said.

''We can meet that guy tomorrow, we've had enough surprises today.'' Emerald said. Citrine was honestly a little worried about who fluorite's ''friend'' could be.


	9. A New Employer

Chapter 10 A new employer.

Fluorite was talking about their new employer the entire way to his place, which was a surprisingly high up apartment. Employer, as Pyrope called him mentally until he would get his name when they met. From what Fluorite said this person was a human that ran several gangs, but was extremely interested in gem artifacts. He knew of the gems history and apparently even had a gemstone that belonged to one, or it was just an actual mineral. After the almost two hour drive and five minute stair walk up to the seven-teenth floor. He wore a black suit with ruffled sleeves revealing tattoos up and down his arms; he also had black suit pants and athletic shoes, kind of an odd combo Pyrope thought.

''Well, you brought friends this time Fluorite.'' The dealer said in a rather deep voice as he put out a cigarette.

''Yeah, these are my…uh…coworkers.'' Fluorite said back to him, getting eyed from Citrine.

''Well, if you are here for work then I have a pretty different type of job for you from taking cars from normal people.'' He said with a tone almost unreadable in his voice. ''I need you to go to a storage lot and collect something that might be a real-deal gem artifact, if you do that then I can pay you quite a lot.'' As the four were leaving he added in something else. ''Oh, I hope you aren't afraid of insects.''

''So, this seems simple for something that we could get paid a lot for.'' Pyrope said to the rest of them as they made the long descent down the stairs.

''Well, the last remark he made might mean something is up with this certain storage locker we're going to.'' Emerald added in.

''Well let's get this over with, it shouldn't take long anyway.'' Citrine said as they got to the bottom of the seemingly endless stairwell. The storage locker wasn't far away from their own home and it was locked with several locks.

''So, do we knock or break it open first?'' Fluorite asked with a smirk on his face in a joking tone.

''Oh, I think it'd be polite to knock.'' Citrine said as he kicked the lower part of the door, watching it fall down from the blow.

''Well that didn't seem too bad, wonder what he meant about the insect part of the job.'' Pyrope said just as in the container a few 8 legged things crawled out of the container, their mouths looked like one of a Venus fly trap and opened side ways, and they had what looked like a think carapace.

''You just had to bring that up didn't you.'' Emerald said as she summoned a large hammer. The fight was short and the bugs were left cut in half, crushed, and stomped.

''So where is this artifact, because I hope that the blood all over this suit wasn't wasted.'' Citrine said stepping over some of the husks of the creatures.

''Stop your whining, I think I see it anyway.'' Fluorite said, grabbing a glowing orb from the back of the container.

''Well, that was pretty easy.'' Pyrope said returning to the car, the group again making the drive to the apartment and again going up the long flight of stairs. When they got back their employer was sitting on a desk waiting for them.

''So, that it?'' He asked taking the orb from Emerald.

''Well it's all of the glowing gem looking things.'' Citrine said.

''Well, I guess that's good enough, I might actually get something good out of this.'' The employer said handing Citrine a stack of money to be divided between the 4 of them. After the 4 were in the car again Pyrope brought up a point everyone was thinking about.

''So do we really want a human running around with priceless gem artifacts?''Pyrope asked.

''I'm less concerned about the priceless part and the power part, some of these things are pretty powerful, especially gem weapons.'' Citrine added in.

''So, we might have to get rid of him if he starts misusing them.'' Emerald said, getting an eye from Fluorite.

'' No, no, we can't really do that anyway, we'd have to then hope his connections don't know and all of that.'' Fluorite said, hoping in his mind that they didn't mean what they were saying.

''Look, I'm saying that if anything were to happen with these things that we give him then we will have to well remove him from where he is.'' Emerald said.

''He didn't seem like the type of good person who'd use them as a type of trophy or something.'' Citrine added.

''None of us are good people, you of all people should know Citrine.'' Fluorite said in a harsh tone.

''You shouldn't bottle up your emotions, Fluorite, you might make a Molotov or two.'' Pyrope said.

''We'll cross this bridge when we get to it okay.'' Citrine said.

''Well I hope that a construction team doesn't get to the team before we do.'' Emerald responded.

''Or a demolitions team.'' Pyrope said. The rest of the ride was filled with a bit of an awkward silence and when they did get to their home in the back hood Fluorite said he was going for a walk while Pyrope instantly started laying on the couch and relaxing.


	10. Update(Not a chapter)

**Hey everyone, how's it going? Well I hope everyone that is reading the story enjoys it but I have some news, I have to leave for a trip early Tuesday morning (eastern time) for vacation, I might make a chapter while I am there but if I do not I will make a chapter on the Tuesday when I get back or the day after that, just wanted to post a bit of a heads up so that the update will not happen that week, anyway have a good day and goodbye. **


	11. Collections and complications

Chapter 11 – Collections and Complications

It had been a rather tough week for Citrine and his group. They had been collecting several gem artifacts, most of them just broken things that could do no harm, and the pay was pretty decent for jobs that were pretty much just games of fetch, they hadn't even run into any gems or monsters since the very first job. Emerald and Citrine were off on another job while Pyrope and Fluorite where going to get one from the dealer that day, it was a stormy day and the pair had run into the building but hesitated to go up the stairs.

''I don't know why but I feel like something bad is going to happen.'' Pyrope said, drenched from the storm.

Fluorite sighed a bit and asked. ''What is it this time?'' Fluorite said as they began walking into the lobby of the building.

''Well, I don't know. I just feel like something will go wrong. Ever get that?'' Pyrope said as they began their long ascent.

''Always.'' Fluorite said. ''Just try to imagine the outcome of everything you do, then try to prevent every possible bad one.''

''Well that's a nice little suggestion.'' Pyrope said, but he was really thinking it was one of those 'pretending to be a philosopher but is bullshit' things. As the two finally reached the door the dealer was standing outside of it waiting for them, he was also wearing darker sunglasses completely over his eyes this time.

''Hey, I don't have time to really explain this one but eh, here you go.'' The dealer said almost frantically handing them an envelope. ''Read it, once it's done come back.'' He said, handing Pyrope the document, practically shoving them back down.

''Well that was a little bit on the odd side.'' Fluorite said when they were a good distance down the stair well.

''I think it was a bit more than a little on the odd side.'' Pyrope said in an almost sarcastic tone.

''Well, maybe your little feeling was accurate after all?'' Fluorite said as they were almost to the bottom.

''If it is, I'd like to be over with this as quickly as possible.'' Pyrope said concerned. Fluorite just responded with a nod as they walked out of the lobby and into the car.

''So what are the directions from Mr. Money bags?'' Fluorite asked jokingly as he started the car up.

''Well, the first seems the hardest to me…'' Pyrope said as he began reading the document.

''What is it?'' Fluorite asked trying to focus on the road.

''It says 'challenge another gem to fight, must end in them retreating into their gem'.'' Pyrope read, Fluorite looked a little shocked and then shrugged.

''Well, what about the other gem from the dock area? We still have that gem?'' Fluorite asked looking back at Pyrope.

''It was cut to hell but yeah.'' Pyrope had kept it on a dresser at home, it was to damaged to reform the gem was what Citrine said.

''So we aren't blindsided, what are the other steps?'' Fluorite asked Pyrope.

''Well, it says 'bubble' it and bring it back, and that's it.'' Pyrope put a weird emphasis on bubbling was, as he didn't know what it was.

''Ah, I think I still might know how to do that.'' Fluorite said, relaxing a bit. They had been pretty close to the house and Fluorite stayed in the car while Pyrope ran in and got the gem, it was covered in scratches and dented all over. He brought it to Fluorite.

''Well, here goes nothing.'' Fluorite said, he began focusing and summoned what looked like a bright blue bubble, and the green gem inside of it.

''I'll take this to the dealer, you can stay here and relax a bit, I'll bring the money back too.'' Fluorite said to Pyrope as he began leaving. The drive was boring as Fluorite had done it many times before, the same with the walk through the lobby and up the stairs. He saw the dealer had brought out a chair and was waiting for him.

''Wow, that's a pretty nice one, won't ask where you got it, and here's what's due.'' He said handing him a decent sized bag. As fluorite began counting the money he bumped into some people in the lobby, at least 5, they all went up to the place where the dealer was. It was a rather bad apartment and he wondered why anyone would stay here, the only reason the dealer used it is because it was practically off the grid in terms of surveillance. Fluorite shrugged it off and began driving back toward the house.


	12. Combustion

Chapter 12 – Combustion

Fluorite had walked through the door and handed Pyrope the half of the money from the most recent job, which was to give the dealer a 'bubbled' gemstone. The pay was pretty decent considering all they really needed to do was get the gemstone from the one gem they defeated at the docks. It was a dark day and the clouds were black, but there wasn't any rain. It was about a day after the last job when Pyrope had woken up on the couch. He started to get up and tried to stretch but his hands were stuck together at the finger tips.

_What the?_ Pyrope thought. He tried to pull them apart but it was almost like they were magnetized together.

''Fluorite did you glue my hands together or something?'' Pyrope asked frantically as he began trying to pull them apart again.

''What?'' Fluorite asked confused as he walked into the small living room. ''What's wrong with your hands?''

''I don't know they just won't come apart!'' Yelled Pyrope as he strained to tear them apart once more.

''Ok wait, maybe they just got stuck, or it's those gemstones on your fingertips?'' Fluorite asked as he went to the kitchen for a knife.

''Try not to cut off my fingers, kind of need them.'' Pyrope said a little nervously. Fluorite slid the knife in between the fingertips and tried to use it like a crowbar, after about 10 seconds of uneasy tension Fluorite let out an almost gasp of pain and threw the knife away and grabbed his hand.

''Uh, why did you do that?'' Pyrope asked a little shocked at the sudden action.

''The knife just got really hot and burned my hand.'' Fluorite said as he put his hand under the faucet in the small kitchen that was pretty much a part of the living room.

''I think they got a little bit looser from that.'' Pyrope said pulling his fingers apart a few inches just to have them go back together, and sighed.

''Don't worry, I got an idea.'' Fluorite said with a smug grin on his face as he went outside and grabbed a cement block and put it on the kitchen counter.

''Put your fingers on each side of that, hopefully it will separate your fingers.'' Fluorite said, getting a skeptical glare from Pyrope. ''What, do you have a better idea?'' Pyrope sighed and once again stretched his fingers and put them on opposite sides of the cinder block.

''I think its working.'' Pyrope stated with a sense of relief, a few seconds later the cinderblock flew from the kitchen counter and threw a window. Pyrope really didn't notice the window but he did know that he could move his fingers again.

''Well, we can worry about the window later, how about a little sparring match to warm your finger joints up again?'' Fluorite asked, which Pyrope just looked at him and gave a nod. The two walked to the backyard area and the two got into their fighting stances.

''I'll try not to break your fingers.'' Fluorite said with a smug grin.

''Gee, no charge this time?'' Pyrope joked with the same grin on his face. The two began fighting at a medium range, Pyrope threw a few kicks which Fluorite blocked with his forearms until Pyrope threw another kick that went straight to his chest knocking him on his back, Fluorite rolled and knocked Pyrope off his feet, when Pyrope stood back up Fluorite threw a punch that Pyrope blocked with both of his arms, but Fluorite threw an uppercut that knocked him on his back.

''Not bad for someone who was almost paraplegic a minute ago.'' Fluorite said as they stood eye to eye getting ready to begin throwing punches again. Pyrope instantly jumped back on his feet and did a slide that knocked Fluorite over him, Fluorite landed on his feet and threw a punch a Pyrope's face that Pyrope ducked under and grabbed his arms and then head butt him. Fluorite staggered back a bit and then threw another punch at Pyrope which he blocked, and then threw a punch at his gut which knocked Fluorite flat on his back and wheezing.

''How about that for paraplegic?'' Pyrope taunted offering Fluorite a hand, he saw the gems on his finger tips glow and looked at them, but Fluorite had knocked him down with his legs and offered him a hand instead, and also noticed the gems glowing.

''So, that's new right?'' Fluorite asked pulling him up.

''Yeah, they feel like the one on my back, but I can't summon a weapon from it, you can go inside if you want, I'm going to see if I can do anything with it out here for a while.'' Pyrope said, examining the gems. Fluorite walked in while Pyrope stayed out in the backyard for about 30 minutes. Fluorite had gone outside to check on him.

''So, do anything interesting with that or is it just weird ingrown gem?'' Fluorite asked crossing his arms and looking at Pyrope, sitting down on a small picnic table.

''Watch this.'' Pyrope said with a wide grin on his face, he kind of pushed his hand forward and small ball of red and white energy went forward and put a pretty decent size smoldering hole in the fence, which he rushed to douse with a hose and then walked back to Fluorite.

''So, are you impressed, or are you impressed?'' Pyrope said with a large grin on his face.

''Well, impressed doesn't sum all of the things I am feeling right now to be honest.'' Fluorite said amidst a bit of laughing.

''That's not all I can do, I can use it to make several kicks and punches do that as well, oh and there's this.'' Pyrope said as he stood in one place and closed his eyes and suddenly he was gone.

''Boo.'' Fluorite heard the voice behind him, and he turned around startled to see that it was Pyrope.

''You can…teleport or move incredibly fast?'' Fluorite asked confused.

''I'm pretty sure it's a teleport but it's rather difficult, and takes a bit of focus, it'll take a lot of training to do that in combat.'' Pyrope said looking at his fingertips and gave a bit of an odd frown. ''This isn't normal, is it?''

''Well, it's not believe me, there's only about 8 gems that can wield powers like that I think, might be fewer or a few more.'' Fluorite said scratching his head, the comment made Pyrope's eyes go wide.

''Really? Might want to hear more about them in the future.'' Pyrope said smiling.

''Well I'm tired, Citrine and Emerald are taking a long time with this mission, hope nothing happened.'' Fluorite said as he walked into the house from the back door.


	13. Reappearances

Chapter 13 - Reappearance

It had been a odd night for Pyrope, he had an odd dream about the home world, he had never seen it but what he saw is what he imagined it to look like, large technological buildings on a somewhat desolate planet. The buildings were towering and connected through odd tunnels somewhat high up. The ground felt like concrete and was a cyan color. He walked to one of the humongous green towers and looked around. The only sound that could be heard was his own footsteps and beating heart. He looked at what he assumed to be a door, he looked at it and hesitated in doing something, he didn't even know why he was here let alone in front of this door. He was about to open it when he heard footsteps, he looked to his left and his right, and then looked behind him. He shrugged it off but before he looked back at the door he heard the door opening, and he woke up. For some reason when he woke up his heart was pounding, he was practically terrified of nothing that happened.

He got out of bed and put on a Rolling Stones T-shirt and walked out of the small room that was his in the small house, he saw Fluorite sitting in the kitchen trying to call someone but getting a dial tone.

''Citrine and Emerald still not back yet?'' Pyrope asked a little concerned, it had almost been a full week they were gone.

''Well, yeah. I think I'm going to go to the dealer's apartment and see where they are.'' Fluorite said grabbing his keys.

''I guess I'll go with you then.'' Pyrope said following him out the door and the two entered the blue car.

''So, what do you thinks gonna happen when we get there?'' Fluorite asked.

''Well, I hope everything goes right, but knowing us, it won't.'' Pyrope responded and Fluorite laughed, as the two waited to get there they both wondered how this would go down.

''Looks like we're here.'' Fluorite said pulling up to the apartment building. Once again they walked up the flight of stairs. The door was locked and had a keep out sign on it. _That wasn't there last time…_ Fluorite thought as he was going to knock on the door. He stopped when he heard more than one voice in the room.

''Should we go in?'' Pyrope whispered to Fluorite.

''Well, it'd be rude not to knock.'' Fluorite said as he kicked down the door, the dealer was talking to the same gem from the docks and two hooded figures with the de-stabalizers in their hands.

''Look I swear I don't know whe-'' the dealer stopped speaking as he saw the two gems enter through the door, and pointed at them. ''There they are, see I didn't lie!'' He said frantically.

''I suppose you didn't, but you are of no use to us now.'' The giant armor covered gem said grabbing the dealer and snapping his neck.

''Seems killing you once wasn't enough was it?''Fluorite taunted summoning his weapons.

''I didn't even use my weapon whelp, this time I will destroy you and your pitiful friend.'' Conundrum said summoning her giant axe.

''I have a few tricks up my sleeve.'' Pyrope said with a grin. The two figures next to the gem warrior began to finally talk.

''Conundrum, should we help you in this fight since you lost last time?'' The one on the right said.

''I can take them, it was four that beat me last time.'' The warrior said.

''Fine, but remember, if you lose and they don't destroy you, we will.'' The one on the left said as both of them disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The three began fighting instantly as Pyrope slid under Conundrum and attempted to stab her in the back with both of his axes, but she kicked him back as Fluorite began to charge with both swords striking overhead, the blocked it with her left forearm and got cut a little bit, but hit fluorite with the hilt of the axe. Pyrope had jumped back up and sent a punch with his new Pyrokinesis powers at her back knocking her forward and staggering a bit, it was enough time for Fluorite to follow up with a kick to her knee and her side, hopefully breaking something. After recovering she grabbed fluorite by the arms and head butt him, knocking him down. Fluorite went for another punch but she swung her axe up from the ground leaving a large slice on his chest. Fluorite saw this and tried to finish the battle, taking both hooked blades and putting them on her neck, making a quick slice motion decapitating the enemy, and it retreated once again into the gem which Fluorite stomped into a few pieces, and walked over to Pyrope to help him up.

''Shit, you okay Pyro?'' He said helping him up and putting him on his shoulder.

''Yeah, this is pretty excruciating though.'' He said with a smile and some blood on his chin.

''Well, let's get home. It probably is time for citrine to get back and I need to think about whatever the fuck just happened.'' Fluorite said as he began to help Pyrope down the stairs.


	14. Expediton

Chapter 14 – Return

As Pyrope was bandaging the large wound in his chest in his room while Fluorite was in the kitchen icing his head, Pyrope got up rather slowly and walked into the kitchen to hear a car pulling up outside.

''Maybe they're finally back.'' Pyrope said with a bit of pain in his voice.

''Well, I'm glad they're back but this'll be hard to explain.'' Fluorite said still having a bag of ice on his head. As they watched the door they heard a car door slam, and then the door to the house opened up, Citrine and Emerald walking through it, both of them staring at Pyro and Citrine.

''The hell happened to you two?'' Citrine asked shocked upon seeing the two.

''I'll explain it later, what happened to you two?'' Fluorite asked.

''Well, when we drove to the plane things got complicated.'' Emerald said.

\- 5 days ago, Fifty Miles East -

Citrine and Emerald were driving to the airport to be picked up to go somewhere more to the south to collect some sword that may have belonged to a gem. They only had a sketch of it and it looked pretty weird for a gem weapon. It was Pink and had odd patterns.

''I wonder how the two back home are doing.'' Emerald said looking out the passenger window.

''They've probably burned the house down by now.'' Citrine joked as drove through the gate to the airport.

''That would be a LOT funnier if I didn't think it would happen.'' Emerald said worriedly.

''They're fine. Jeez when did you get protective of them?'' Citrine asked as looked over to her with a questioning look on his face.

''Well, I have a lot of things in my room that I'd hate to lose.'' Emerald said looking away from Citrine.

_Just acting a little weird, no need to get defensive, I mean, we are all weird._ Citrine thought and wanted to say, but he held back the sarcastic urge inside him.

''We're here.'' Citrine said blandly as he and emerald got out of the car. They had a plane ready for them at the airport. It was a pretty small jet, and it looked like it had room for only 10 people. As they walked over two rather tall and brutish men that were standing in front of it parted and let them pass as they walked in to the jet.

_I don't like this._ Citrine and Emerald both thought simultaneously. As they walked through the slim hallway of the jet a man with an all goldish color suit and fedora was sitting at a table in the back, beckoning them to sit with him, there were seats on both side of the table that were like rows.

''Well, you two look like the ones hired by my partner to follow me on this little expedition.'' He said as he poured a drink for himself.

''Well, you are looking for this sword, if you are then yeah we are.'' Citrine said pulling out the sketch.

''Ah, you are. But I was thinking about those gemstones you got.'' He said after a swig of the drink he poured with a malicious smile on his face, he snapped and several people walked into the jet and were what felt like inches away from them but were actually at least a few meters.

''What are you getting at.'' Citrine said narrowing his eyes at the man and getting ready to fight.

''I'm saying, who needs one lousy sword when I can have three gemstones.'' The man said snapping as the people in the back of the jet began firing at them with mainly pistols, although one seemed to have a sub machine gun. Citrine got on the ground and summoned his weapons, throwing them the blades disconnected two men's legs from the torso, as the men looked in astonishment at their fallen comrade Emerald summoned her hammer and ran at the remaining crowd and with a large cleave of the hammer she hit the crowd of people with the hammer and practically crushed them all. Citrine had also run forward to see if any of them had survived it. They both looked at each other for what felt like eons until they heard a soft groan, they looked behind them to see Mr. gold suit had been shot by his own goons, he pointed and the last thing out of his mouth besides blood were the words :

''You…will pay for this.'' Barely finishing the sentence he fell onto the table in front of him.

\- Present –

''So, when we went back to the car it was gone, and we had to walk twenty-two miles to get to a rent-a-car area and drove home.'' Citrine said.

''Well, our story seems lame compared to that.'' Pyro said tiredly.

''If you want to go to sleep go ahead, I can 'brief' them on what happened.'' Fluorite said which Pyrope nodded to. In truth he wasn't tired he was just sore. And almost as soon as he lay on his bed he practically passed out.


	15. Mending

Chapter 15 – Mending

Citrine and Emerald were still talking to Fluorite about what happened while Pyrope was sleeping. He had probably been sleeping an hour or two when he woke up again, when he did wake up he was parched, and went to the kitchen for a drink. When Citrine saw him he spoke up.

''Hey, Pyrope, we have a bit of a business venture to discuss.'' Citrine said, a grin crossing his face as he said business venture.

''Well, how about one that doesn't try to kill us?'' Pyrope said as he brought a chair into the living room and sat on it, drinking a can of coke.

''Yeah, I'm with Pyrope on this one, unless I have proof that they don't want us dead then I'm going to need some serious motivation.'' Fluorite said.

''Actually this job is from the government.'' Citrine said smugly.

''Did you sign us up for alien tests or something?'' Emerald joked.

Citrine sighed and got all serious, Pyrope never really liked that. He was always more of a loose person.

''Look, it's not the MAIN government. It's a small, small, small, research branch that knows about gems. They know A LOT about them. Home world and such, and they want us to well eliminate certain gems that may become a problem from home world.'' Citrine said.

''What's the catch, because you know there always is one?'' Pyrope asked.

''Well, we may have…uh…. attracted these gems and they might not know yet.'' Citrine said nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

'' So, is that all?'' Emerald asked.

''Well, they are going to be blending into crowds, and there is 5 of them and 4 of us. But after this lets say we get a large business investment.'' Citrine said hinting at something.

''Oh, I like large investments.'' Fluorite said grinning.

''And after that we can move, or at least get out of this really bad neighborhood.'' Citrine said.

''So, when are they arriving and when do we go after them?'' Pyrope asked.

''Well, actually in a few days.'' Citrine said that made everyone almost jump. ''What?''

''That's a really tight timeframe, Citrine.'' Emerald said.

''Look, its fine. With gem healing factors you two should be fine by tomorrow, hell, by tonight, and we need money for something else I have in store.'' Citrine said as a bit of aggravation in his voice turned into an almost charming happiness.

''Ok, I'll bite, what do you have in mind then?'' Fluorite asked.

''Well, I figured a move at first, and then maybe find other gems.'' Citrine said with a smirk.

''Oh hey, then they'll kill us and purify their gene pool.'' Fluorite said laughing.

''First off that's not even how that works, second off I'm serious. Besides it's not like we aren't well equipped. Well, at least we will be well equipped…'' Citrine said as his voice trailed off.

''So, what would be the real point of that?'' Pyrope asked.

''We're going to meet them eventually, might as well make it under good terms'' Citrine said tiredly. ''any more questions?''

''Yeah, what do they look like?'' Emerald asked impatiently.

''We should get photos soon; luckily they are all different stones so no confusion, and they are pretty skilled. But we will all need some rest. More info will be coming in soon.'' Citrine said as he began to walk out of the house. ''I'm going to go for a bit of a walk, clear my mind.''

''Figured you did enough walk when the car was stolen.'' Emerald joked.

''Ha, so very funny.'' Citrine said as he shut the door and began walking out.

''Well I'm going to go pass out in my bed again.'' Pyrope said as he walked back to his room.


	16. Identity

Chapter 16 – Identity

It was kind of early in the morning even though the sun had already risen, Citrine always tried to wake up before the rest, he trusted them, but they could think, and that means they could think of anything. The whole concept of 'free will leads to rebelling' hurt Citrine's mind, he loved his friends, but he was just wary of them. One of them a prodigy, another some person off the streets, and another a psychopath, a rather odd crew. Citrine always dreamed of joining with more gems, and soon he'd have his dream, at least if everything works out, and there's no telling on how this will really work out, at worst one of them comes out alive, but hopefully that'd be…_actually I have no idea who I'd want to live_ _more_…Citrine thought watching the sun rise from what little view the window in their small living room had.

''Someone's up really early.'' Emerald commented as she walked down the hallway and into the small living room, seeing Citrine deep in thought.

''I always get up this early, well at least I usually like to.'' Citrine said still thinking about that question.

''So, have you gotten those photos yet?''Emerald asked.

''Not yet, they might be in the mail though, I'll check it in a minute.'' Citrine said, thinking of pros and cons of certain results of this job. It's not like he didn't want everyone to live, it's just that he had to be prepared for certain things to go wrong, and so far nothing has.

''There are 5 of the gems right?'' Emerald asked abruptly.

''If the information is correct, yes.'' Citrine said as he smacked himself mentally, he hadn't even thought of that contingency, and there was still very little time to make any sort of preparations. ''Wait, why do want to know about them so much?''

''I've been thinking, there's 5 of them, and 4 of us, how is that going to work?'' Emerald asked, she'd been thinking about it since the topic was brought up.

''We'll just have to play that part by ear, I guess.'' Citrine said, he had been thinking about it as well, and all solutions to it just lead to complications.

''Wait, that's it?'' Emerald asked angrily, taking Citrine by surprise.

''What? I can't plan for everything.'' Citrine said as he began to walk out the door before hearing Emerald speak again.

''We're fighting gems, should I remind you? Not someone looking to steal a car, not a cartel leader, gems. We're fighting five of them, and you're acting like this is some easy thing.'' Emerald said glaring at Citrine.

''I know, I have known, but there's nothing I can do about it, we could not do anything and be taken by surprise, or take them by surprise, besides, they're home world gems.'' Citrine said surprisingly relaxed.

''What do you mean by their home world gems, you already told us.'' Emerald said confused.

''Most home world gems have rarely been in hand to hand combat, they train in simulations and then when they're ready on each other, on the flip side Fluorite and Pyrope sparred countless times in the past few weeks.'' Citrine explained.

''Ok, that deals with one thing, how about the fifth enemy?'' Emerald asked.

''Well, I was just going to say we all go at them or whoever gets done first with their target go after them, and I almost have no doubt it will be Fluorite, so I am not really worried about it that much.'' Citrine said as he walked out the door, _apparently I wasn't the only one worried, I wonder what the other two are thinking_ Citrine said as he opened the mail box at the end of the small pathway leading to the door, opening it and seeing a letter with a black seal and ''from a friend'' on the front.

-**Back yard-**

Pyrope and Fluorite had been talking about the job and several things that may happen.

''Hey, if things go wrong I'm going to bail, no point in getting myself killed.'' Fluorite said.

''Would you at least tell the others, so they could at least finish it?'' Pyrope said, he had already known that if something had gone wrong to run, it's a pretty common instinct.

''Well if I had my phone and it was working then obviously yes, but I would just focus on running, I mean these are home world gems, there's little known about them, and how they operate, since they changed things up a bit after the rebellion.'' Fluorite responded, before Pyrope could ask another question Citrine yelled from the house for them to see something.

''All right, these are the photos, I guess pick a target, and the one left over will be targeted by who finishes their prey first.'' Said as he began placing the 5 photos on the table, one being tanzanite, wearing a hoodie, cargo pants, and an odd mask with a skull decal on it, which Fluorite instantly grabbed.

''This will be interesting to say the least.'' Fluorite said as he began to study the photo, as if he could gain an advantage from it.

The next photo was a rather tall one; the gem looked like it was howlite, and it looked like the gem was at least 8 feet tall, he wore a large vest, and had a mask covering only his mouth, after a minute of exchanged glances around the room Citrine finally grabbed it.

He placed the next photo, it looked yellow and had a triangle shape similar to Citrine's, but it also had a bit of a gleam, it looked like a woman wearing jeans and a normal t-shirt and a trilby, emerald had grabbed it and then inspected it.

Citrine grabbed the last two photos and put them onto the table, one was a blurry photo which just depicted a person's face, it was pale, and the eyes were black and the pupils were white, along with black hair and a gem on the forehead, which looked like hematite.

''How about you get the other one, this one looks a little weird, may be a mix up.'' Citrine said as he put it back in the envelope and put it back in his pocket. The only photo left labeled 'carnelian' and had a gem almost just as tall as Pyrope that wore jeans, a leather jacket, and sunglasses.

''All right, you all have your targets, whoever is done first will go after the last one, get some rest, they arrive tomorrow and we need to catch them off guard and dispatch them quick.'' Citrine said.

''I know how to stab things Citrine, isn't that enough?'' Fluorite said as he began to laugh on stab.

''I know you're capable, I'm just saying these aren't humans, and we're used to that. Now I'm going to see what this last photo is, since it's a little unclear.'' Citrine said as he walked out with his phone and envelope in hand.

As Pyrope walked back down the slim hallway to the back yard he stared at that photo, he'd be killing, or at least attempting to kill another gem, he'd done so to humans but it felt different, they had never been 'kind' so he found no sense of mercy to them. But a gem, there were already few of them and he'd be thinning them out, at least it would be a home world gem so he could feel as if there was some good in it.


	17. Accounted for

**_Hey guys, hope you are all enjoying the story, but I had to thank you all for the 600 views, I really appreciate it, and if anyone is wondering I usually ( almost always ) update this story on Wednesday, but once again thank you and enjoy the story. :D _**

Chapter 17 – Accounted for

Citrine had gathered the rest of his 'crew' in the small yard behind the house, they had a map of locations and each person had their photos, Tanzanite, Fluorite's target had been in an abandoned construction site, while Citrine's had been near a large bridge over a canal, Emerald's had been in a crowded shopping center, while Pyrope's had been in a corporate building at the top.

''Alright everyone got the locations, pictures and all they need?'' Citrine said he had been practically jumping in anticipation.

''Yeah.'' The three said in almost perfect unison.

''Alright, move out, everyone has cell in case something goes wrong, just remember, if things go bad with the fight, get out and call the others.'' Citrine said.

''Let's get this show on the road!'' Fluorite almost screamed as he bolted through the house and into his truck and began driving off like a madman, while the other three were just walking through the long hallway.

''Oh I never got to ask something.'' Pyrope said instantly beaming with a question.

''What?'' Citrine asked.

''Should we keep the gemstones or break them when we get them?'' Pyrope asked as the three walking had reached the front door.

''Probably break them, just in case any of them can reform very fast.'' Citrine said, stepping into his yellow car while emerald got onto a motorcycle putting a green helmet on, all Pyrope had was a small red car with tinted windows.

**-Fluorite's view-**

_The construction site had been empty for a while; I wonder what the gems would want with it. _I thought as I could see the unfinished building from the left window of the truck, it was pretty close to the house and I could already see the parking area. I drove the truck over to it and took the keys; I put them in my pocket then got out of the car and looked at the tall, slim building, beginning to walk to it.

**-Emerald's view- **

The noise of the bike had blocked out the horns of the people I was darting in front of, the bike was pretty fast and I felt like obeying traffic might give the target time to escape, so I decided it'd be best to just hurry. The large shopping complex would be crowded, so I could not creep up on them, and I'd have to just hurry and get in and get out, I could see it in view from the road I was on, still a decent ways away, but I could make it there in a minute or two.

**-Citrine's view-**

I could see the bridge, and surprisingly the gem just standing there, on the side. I parked in a lot and got out of the car slowly walking up to him, getting ready to summon the arm blades, I almost completely stopped when I heard him talking.

''Are we ready to move out?'' He said on a phone, I took the opportunity to summon my arm blades and jab them into the giant's shoulder, he roared out of pain and surprise, throwing me back into traffic, I had to roll to dodge a car, and ran back up to him.

''Ready to play?'' I said, with a smirk on my face.

''I will crush you!'' He said running at me and throwing a punch which I slid under and stabbed him in the back, he reared his head back and head butt me knocking be back a bit, he grabbed me by the leg and slammed me into the ground, I rolled dodging a kick aimed at my spine. _This is somehow going to be harder than I thought_.

**\- Pyrope's view –**

I had walked into the corporate sky scraper casually, acting like I belonged and hit the elevator button to the top floor, surprised to see it was a storage area, and I summoned my axes as I heard whispers.

''Well, they said that you might fight back, but killing Conundrum and going after us is more than expected.'' Said a figure walking out from behind boxes staring me in the eyes.

''So, you prefer a quick or slow method of dying?'' I said as I assumed a battle stance.

''Intimidation isn't a good color on you.'' He said laughing as he summoned a large spear, he lunged at me while I jumped off a box and kicked him square in the face, he threw his spear and it grazed my cheek, I ran at him before he had time to summon another and stabbed him in both shoulders with my axes, grabbing them and then kicking him back again.

''More than I anticipated, no matter.'' He said grinning wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

**\- Fluorite's View – **

I walked up one of the ramps to the top of the unfinished building, to see the familiar face from the photo, holding a long scythe.

''I expected you to meet me here.'' Said a calm female voice, kind of odd, he expected some hard core psychopath to be behind that skull mask.

''I'm a bit disappointed.'' Fluorite said as he summoned his hook swords, striking one above her head and being blocked by the scythe, taking the other sword and stabbed her in the side as she attempted to strike, he took the other and struck in the side again with the other blade and threw her across the platform.

''Now I'm VERY disappointed.'' Fluorite said yawning, when out of nowhere a scythe flew and stuck in his left leg, he looked to see she had stood up and summoned another scythe and had assumed a battle stance, charging him, he moved to the right and struck her hamstring with one of the swords, she fell and while she was falling he stabbed both of his swords and pinned her to the ground before she could react, he looked around and grabbed a power drill left by a construction crew.

''While I am still entertained, why don't we play 20 questions?'' Fluorite grinned turning it on, hearing the other gem gulp. ''Question 1, why are you here?''

**\- Emerald's view – **

The shopping center was gigantic, she just had to casually walk around until she saw someone who fit the profile, and it was taking a while, and she had taken several laps around the store until she decided to look outside at the door, and there was someone who fit the profile and was staring directly at the road, and sure enough a gem on the side of her face, Emerald slowly walked until she saw the woman turn and look at her, then she summoned her hammer, raised it and then slammed it down on her, the gem jumped back and summoned what looked like a large dual bladed dagger and threw it, striking emerald in the shoulder, before she could even look back the gem was already within stabbing distance of Emerald, making her jump back, striking horizontally with her hammer, knocking the gem into the wall.

**\- Citrine's View –**

The fight was starting to lean to his favor, the gem had threw me on the ground and would charge into me every time I got up, the next time he ran I jumped over him and stabbed both blades into his back, riding him like some odd creature, he began to yell, and his brain must have started working, he quickly jumped back, scraping his back on one of the pillars knocking me into it, then ran back again, attempting to charge into me while I was still regaining my balance he threw a punch into the pillar as I rolled under his arm and kicked him as he almost completely collapsed the pillar with his weight, _I just need to get him to run into that again._ I thought, he didn't have the most intelligence so it wouldn't be very difficult, he moved back and had grey blood running down his forehead as he attempted to charge again, I jumped over him again as I heard a ringing sound, my phone, _Oh god, is everything all right?_ I thought, there was no way I could answer it, I need to end this soon. I saw him getting up so I stood in front of the pillar again, watching it fall into the canal along with him, I ran and jumped off of the bridge, landing on his back, stabbing his gem, landing on it and crushing it with my foot, I stood for a second holding my bleeding arm and wondering what to do next, then the thought practically hit me like a train, I pulled out my phone and frantically called back the number, I didn't recognize it.

''Guess who?'' The voice was odd, like it had a voice changer and sounded very happy, almost delusional.

''I've no time for bullshit, who is it?'' Citrine said as he began to walk out of the car to his car.

''You're friend, why so rude? Eh, never mind that, the photo was correct, but we could not find a better one, if anyone is going after him he's at the dock near 7th avenue, and he is stronger than most of the little crew there.'' The voice said before it went to dial tone, stronger? This guy was already too much for citrine, someone else will have to do it, he thought.

**-Fluorite's view- **

''So then, I'll ask again, and if you don't answer this drill will go through your skull, not gem, skull. I will make sure you feel it as well. Why did you come here?'' Fluorite said pacing around the trapped gem, she was around Pyrope's age, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a little bad a 'young' gem was brought into this.

''I told you, we came to kill you, what reason do you have not to believe me?'' The gem said, beginning to lose a bit of her composure.

''I do, but how about question two, why are you fighting for home world?''

''It's the only choice, they execute any who don't follow them.'' She said, trying to remove the blades.

''Third, you know you could fight against them, I mean this is the first resistance we've gotten.'' I said.

''I don't exactly have a place to go, you know with you guys killing my group.'' She said, sadness rising in her tone.

''Why not join us, we are relatively neutral.'' Fluorite said, grabbing a wooden box and sitting atop it.

''I may not be most allegiant to home world, but those are my friends you're killing.''

''Wouldn't have to if we hadn't caught wind that you were going to attack us.''

''Again, it was an order, there was nothing I could have done about it, now go ahead and do what you are going to.'' She said, just as she finished I took the drill and turned it on quickly shoving it into her eye through the mask, cyan blue blood getting all over the shirt I was wearing, I watched as she retreated into her gem, I picked it up, putting a bubble just small enough that it would cover the surface, almost looking like there wasn't one there.

''I can't believe it, I finally pity someone and it's a complete stranger.'' I said as I ran to the edge of the platform, jumping off of it platform laughing to myself.

**\- Emerald's view –**

We were both getting tired, and had both taken several hits, she tried to lunge at me with her dagger and I blocked it with my hammer, spinning it around and throwing her into a wall, I ran up and slammed it into her while she was recuperating, over and over until I saw a large flash of light, signifying victory. I saw the gem on the ground and stepped on it, crushing it, and then I almost jumped from the sound of my phone ringing.

''Citrine, why are you calling? Did something go wrong?''

''No, but I have the last target, at the docks, my arm's screwed so I won't be able to make it.'' Citrine said.

''Well, I can't, make it, been stabbed a bit, call Fluorite, I'm sure he's done by now.''

**\- Fluorite's view- **

I was walking with the bubbled gem in my hand when I heard my phone ring.

''Citrine, what is it? Did anyone die?'' I asked.

''No, but I need someone to go after the last target at the docks, could you?'' Citrine asked.

''Can't, took a scythe to the leg and it's pretty difficult to walk at the moment.'' I said as I sat in the truck, pulling out a satchel and putting the bubbled gem into a bag. ''Get Pyrope, at least if he is not been injured, he can handle himself well enough.'' Citrine sighed over the phone.

''Fine, I will.'' Citrine said, hanging up.

**\- Pyrope's view –**

This fight had gone on for what seemed forever, and I was enjoying it. The other gem had taken several more hits than I had, and was bleeding significantly, and we were just staring at each other at one point, with weapons drawn, as he looked side to side and sighed.

''Fine, you want the rest, screw it, but I'm going to live and not be a pawn.'' He said as he ran to the elevator, I tried to strike at him, but he kicked me in the stomach, and as I was hunched over, he hit me in the back of my skull, and as I was getting up I saw him frantically hit buttons. _Go ahead._ I thought. I felt a trickle of blood on the back of my head, I heard my phone ring as I pulled it out and answered.

''Citrine? Is everything going all right?'' I asked.

''Yeah, listen there's another target at the docks near 7th avenue, go ahead if you can.''

''All right, on my way there now.''


	18. Accounted for 2

Accounted for–Part 2 Loose ends.

**\- Pyrope's view – **

After the call from Citrine I had went down the elevator and walked to my car, attracting more than a few glances from all the blood on my shirt and part of it dripping down my back, at least MOST of it was the other guy's… The drive to the docks was taking a while, and from what I remember the photo wasn't very helpful either, Black hair, oddly colored eyes, pale skin, you'd be surprised how many people look like that. The docks was pretty much an open area, only one small building and the rest just well, docks in the small area. I was walking around and I had seen barely anyone, and no one that looked like the photo, until I had gotten tired from walking and I leaned against a fence in front of the water, taking in the scenery, it wasn't much but in a city like this it's all you can get.

''Surprise.'' I heard a smug voice come from behind me as I spun around I felt a pair of hands grab me by the neck and before I knew it I was flying toward the water. I hurriedly swam toward one of the wooden walkways that were on the water, and when I looked around again I saw no one.

''Hiding won't do you any good!'' I yelled out to them, thinking maybe they could hear me.

''Who said anything about hiding?'' I heard that same voice and I turned around and summoned my axes, as he pulled a sword from the gem on his forehead, he wore a black jacked and what looked like some jewelry on his hand, along with normal black cargo pants, as I took my stance he instantly slid into me and struck upward, I barely dodged it by jumping over it. I threw one axe at him which he blocked, while I struck at his left leg with the one I still had in hand, surprisingly I hit him before he kicked me backwards and I landed flat on my back. I looked up and saw him striking down ward with his sword and I tried to roll out of it but it still cut my side. I kicked upwards, knocking him over and I struck down with both axes, hitting him in his shoulders, as he landed and kicked me in the stomach, making me lurch backward, he was already back up and instead of charging me with his blade he threw a punch straight into my cheek, and before I reacted he punched upwards hitting me in the jaw, and I felt blood trickle down my face and jaw, as he pulled his right sleeve up a little bit, revealing a large piece of gold on his hand.

''Like it? I made it from the last idiot that fought me.'' He said as he admired them a bit more.

''Oh yeah, they're fancy. Going to have to rip them off your lifeless corpse when I'm through.'' I said as I threw a fire ball into him, knocking him far down the dock, he got up and rushed me with his blade, striking for my head, I ducked and struck him in the stomach with both axes, he struck at me horizontally with his sword, I blocked it with both of my axes as he lunged and struck again, which I dodged to the left, making him miss me by an inch. I took the opportunity of him being close to strike at his leg, knocking him on his back. I jumped onto him, striking toward his neck, but before my axes reached his throat he jabbed his sword upward and hit me square in the stomach, I winced and slammed the axes down, hitting him in the throat, getting a inaudible gurgle from him as my only reaction. After a second that felt like a millennia I saw a puff of smoke and the gem, falling flat on my face.

I probably didn't have long until I ended up like him, so I limply stood and staggered over to it and stomped on it, and then I thought that I was probably fine, well, fine wasn't the right word, but I was at least in a stable condition. I was soaked from being thrown into the water, and there were several onlookers that had watched the fight, several had probably recorded the spectacle. I ran up a small ramp from the dock that led to the parking area, I'd imagine the others had already returned.

**\- One short, uneventful drive home later. – **

As I walked through the door I saw that everyone else was already home, and intact.

''There you are, almost gave me a panic attack.'' Citrine said who was sitting on the couch.

''And I nearly passed out from blood loss.'' Pyrope said.

''Well that's uh…'' Citrine awkwardly paused. ''Well, the others are outside if you want to talk to them. I'm going to call the guy who's prepared to give us our 'funds.''' He said, pulling out and dialing someone. I walked through the hallway and out the door to hear Emerald and Fluorite bickering over something, not really anything new, but it was the subject that caught my ears.

''You really bubbled it? Why, did it make you sad?'' Emerald joked at Fluorite.

''Bite me.'' He said calmly.

''Glad to see you two have not changed at all.'' I said. ''So who bubbled what?''

''I bubbled a gem because I felt like it.'' Fluorite responded sharply.

''Because you felt like a wimp.'' Emerald muttered.

''Wimp? I'm the only one that wasn't severely injured in their fight, besides, I got to use a power drill as a weapon.'' Fluorite said smiling.

''That is just disturbing.'' Emerald said, and at that the door opened, as Citrine walked by.

''Guess what I got for us?!'' He said, probably being a little too loud for being an urban area at around 9 at night.

''Gee, a puppy, maybe some Ice cream?'' Fluorite said unamused

''Some of the money has already been transferred and I managed to get a rather expensive high rise apartment.'' Citrine said completely ignoring Fluorite.

''At least we won't hear constant gun shots on Friday night.'' Pyrope said.

''I'll miss the old shit shack.'' Fluorite said, looking up at the house. ''Actually no I won't.''

''Pack your bags, we're moving to the major city area!'' Citrine yelled, his voice echoing through the small neighborhood, getting a few angry responses in return…


	19. Moving in

Chapter 19 Moving in.

The group's stuff had already been moved into the new apartment. It was about six teen floors up and was rather nice. It had an upper level with the living room and such, and the bottom level with the bedrooms. It had a pretty nice view of a large highway that ran just beside the large complex. The four had begun moving in.

''So, tell me again what this whole 'finding other gems' thing has to do with getting a new place.'' Fluorite said while carefully trying to put boxes down without dropping them.

''The old place was far too small, besides who are you to complain about a bigger house?'' Citrine asked giving a smirk and getting a sigh from Fluorite.

''Fair point.'' Fluorite said as he took the boxes he was carrying the boxes down stairs while Emerald and Pyrope walked in, also holding boxes.

Emerald said as she glared at Citrine.

''If you're serious burn it, if you're joking then ha.'' Citrine said nonchalantly as he began pushing a few boxes into a large empty room.

''Does he ever lighten up?'' Pyrope asked Fluorite.

''Unfortunately when he gets serious, he doesn't stop for a while.'' Fluorite said. ''I think that's everything.''

''Well, I'm surprised nothing has gone to utter hell yet.'' Emerald said as she sat down on a couch near the large windows.

''What do you mean?'' Pyrope asked.

''Well, usually something astronomically impossible messes things up, but so far so good.'' Fluorite said as he looked out the window and to the highway.

''Like when you hit me with a car?'' Pyrope said, laughing.

''Well, that was pretty likely, especially when miss over reactive over there kicked the wheel, you wouldn't have been knocked unconscious.'' Fluorite said pointing at Emerald.

''Maybe if you had shut your mouth I wouldn't have wanted to hit you.'' Emerald said.

''I swear you two should just get a room.'' Pyrope said, getting an idea.

''I hope to the giant space god that seems to hate us that you're joking.'' Fluorite said, while Emerald was holding back laughter.

''I was kidding, oh Fluorite, where did you put that bubbled gemstone?'' Pyrope asked.

''I have it in a bag, probably going to just sell the thing.'' Fluorite said.

''Wow that has to suck.'' Emerald said.

''What?'' Pyrope asked.

''Well, first getting a drill through the eye has to be painful, and then being sold, and having your gem being cut and all of that they do to make them sellable.'' Fluorite explained.

''Damn Fluorite, why not just torture them?'' Pyrope asked sarcastically.

''Hey, they're enemies, why have remorse for them?''

''Because they're most likely being manipulated.'' Pyrope said, thinking about the one gem that had ran.

''While that's true, they're here now, they have choice to run, and if they can't think that much then it's they're problem, not ours.'' Fluorite said.

''While that's true, who knows, maybe they have trackers or something in them?'' Emerald said.

''That'd make sense, but then the rebellion would have already been snuffed out by now.'' Fluorite said.

''I think I'm going to sleep a bit, or at least try too.'' Pyrope said.

''You sure, it's not that late?'' Fluorite asked.

''Yeah, just sore from being thrown around at the docks.'' Pyrope said as he walked down the stairs to see his new bedroom, a small one with a bed, a window that practically was a wall, a shelf and small closet. At least it was better than a small one person couch.


	20. Witz

Chapter 20 – Verraten.

**Pyrope's view**.

I had that same dream, the one with the green towers and the oddly colored ground. I looked around and didn't stop until I was a little light headed. I walked to the closest tower door slowly, and upon trying to open it I could feel a burning feeling, and being enveloped in white light, and then waking up, heavily breathing again. There was no sense of urgency or even danger in those dreams so I have no idea why they were so terrifying when I woke up, I got up and put on a Rolling Stones T-shirt and some normal jeans and walked up the stairs to the living room, stopping before I was halfway up and taking a seat in the middle of the stairs, eavesdropping on someone arguing, I couldn't really understand any of it since it was in the next room.

''You hear them too?'' Emerald said from behind me, nearly giving me a heart attack.

''Yeah, what is it about?'' I asked.

''Probably just something along with moving, I can't really understand them either.''

I sighed. ''So, do you like the new house at least?'' I asked Emerald, a little bored.

''It's a lot better than the other one, so yeah.'' She replied.

''Did Citrine tell you anything else about the plan?''

''Unfortunately not, so I guess we'll have to just wait a while.'' I groaned, leaning back on the stairs, and then an idea hit me like a train.

''Hey, do you know anything about Astronomy?'' I asked.

''A little I think, why?''

''I keep having these weird dreams, and-'' before I finished my sentence she already had a response.

''I think you mean Psychology for dreams, and I don't know any of that.'' She said.

''If you let me finish I was going to say is that the weird dreams always take place on some cyan planet with weird green structures, and I figured if anyone in our little group knew about them it'd be you.'' I said, getting up, looking back at her to see her having a faint green blush on her face before she turned around.

''I don't know a lot about planets to be honest, ask Citrine, he was raised by gems from home world, I'm sure they told him about it eventually.'' She said as she stood up and walked back down the stairs, at least it wasn't a bad idea. I walked up the rest of the stairs to see Fluorite sitting on the couch, but I still heard arguing.

''Wait, if you're in here, then who's Citrine talking to?'' I asked, a little creeped out.

''He's debating with himself about leaving today.'' Fluorite said with a bit of a sigh. ''And it freaks me out a little too.''

''We JUST moved in here, besides this place is nice, be a shame if it wasn't used.''

''Well, I can't really help that, ask Fluorite, you know he is the 'leader figure' of the group.'' Fluorite said, turning the TV on, while I walked to Citrine's small storage room where he had several maps and such hung up on the surrounding walls.

''Hey Citrine, do you know what home world looks like?'' I asked as he stopped muttering something to himself and looked around.

''That's an odd question, why do you want to know?'' He looked at me questioningly.

''I've been having these dreams of an odd planet, it's probably nothing but the ground is a weird cyan blue color.'' I said scratching the back of my neck.

''Home world is an odd planet, the gems experimented on it to make it the 'perfect planet' but what happened was the exact opposite, certain areas are uninhabitable.''

''What do you mean?''

''I mean some areas get to hot or cold, others have vacuums too powerful for even a gem to survive in.'' Citrine said.

''Well, thanks, I'll leave you to your…whatever this is.'' I said shutting the door.

''Hey fluori-'' I stopped mid sentence to see that he wasn't there. _Weird, he was just there._

''He went out, and he asked me to tell him to meet you at some street corner near Clavering boulevard and Saint's street.'' Emerald said, as she walked up the stairs again.

''I guess I'll go then, see you later.'' I said as I walked out of the room and into an elevator that took you to a garage, where Emerald's bike Citrine's old sports car, and my red car, Fluorite's truck gone. _I don't know why, but I don't trust this, but I'm bored anyway._ I said as I unlocked the door and sat in the driver's seat.

_**To Be Continued. **_


	21. A hurdle

**Chapter 21 – Hurtle. **

The drive across town was quick and quiet, most of the town being asleep and just generally off the roads, no traffic really and the sidewalks almost being barren as well. Fluorite was at a street corner that was almost the center of the city really, one road went to the canals and the beach, another to the large airport, another to the central city and highways, and the other one just ran down a small strip that had several shops and restaurants down it, not that far from the new apartment. I left my car down the road a little bit from the street corner where I could see Fluorite sitting on a bench, waving to him as I crossed the road.

''Hey, so what is it you wanted me here for?'' I asked, a little rudely.

''Well, before I tell you can I see your phone real quick?'' Fluorite asked, I pulled out my small cell phone and tossed it to him, and he just looked down at it for a second before breaking it in his hand.

''What the hell man?'' I almost yelled at him. ''That thing was expensive goddamn it.''

''I know, but I couldn't have you cheating at our game.'' He said as he threw the small bits and pieces of my phone on the ground, and summoned his two swords.

''Fluorite what are you doing?'' I said as I summoned me axes and slowly backed up from him.

''We're going to have a bit of cat and mouse, and it'd be boring if you just called someone.''

''Fluorite, what the hell are you go-'' I said, as was cut off by him throwing a sword which I ducked under.

''I was going to explain, but you kept talking, you have a fifteen second head start, so go.'' I honestly didn't know if he was serious or if this was some really sick joke of his. I was about to ask him something before he screamed at me, ''you have 10 seconds left dipshit, get moving.'' I tilted my head at him and then I just ran down the street and then into a small alley, thoughts buzzing around my head, if he was serious or was he just screwing with me? I needed a place to at least hide until I knew what to do, I looked around and I didn't see much but a staircase that probably led to the roof of one of the surrounding buildings, I tried to walk up them as quietly as possible but as I reached the 5th story I just decided to run up them, reaching the top this thing had to be at the very least 10 floors high, and I hoped he wouldn't think of me being up here, eventually I mustered the small amount of courage to look over the small wall at the top, seeing him casually walking with both of his weapons drawn, when I got an idea. I jumped up on the small wall and threw a large fireball at him, or at least near him, I missed by a few feet, seeing him look up at my little vantage point, and running toward the alley.

I thought I had a good idea and walked over to the staircase, repeatedly throwing fire at it, melting the first few stories. I through I had him screwed, but he jumped off the staircase, jumped off of another building and onto to the roof I was on, quickly charging at me, I dodged the first few strikes he threw at me but then he kicked me flat on my back, and I summoned my weapons as I jumped up, striking horizontally at his throat, missing and barely cutting his chest, he spun around and he struck down with both weapons , hitting me in both of my shoulders, he quickly pulled them back and made me fall toward him, then kicking me backwards again. I got back up, dodging another strike and I grabbed him by the throat.

''Why are you doing this?!'' I asked, getting a smirk from him which really pissed me off.

''It's simple, home world could use you all dead, so I struck a deal.'' I tried to throw him off the building but before I did he threw a quick punch at my face knocking me backwards a bit and probably breaking my nose. I looked at him as he ran at me again with both swords, which I dodged and began to drop down the smoldering wreckage of the staircase, running down the street and into the canal area, breathing and observing the area around me, and then I knew how I could beat him.


	22. Fall

Chapter 22 – Falle

I was waiting for him behind a house, it was probably the most simple and worst idea I could've had, but it was worth a shot. The waiting was agonizing, having to judge whether it was Fluorite or something else. I heard what sounded like someone walking but I wasn't sure, and I sure as hell wasn't going to try to peak out.

''Hey kid, if you come out now I'll make it quick, and hey, I might even send the cracked pieces of your gems to Citrine.'' It sounded like he was standing right in the middle of several houses, including the one I was behind, I thought for a moment and then sighed _Thinking is just really not for me…_

I ran as fast as I could, axes drawn, slicing at his chest horizontally with both axes, he got down on one knee, holding his chest for a while, I struck down with both axes but he reacted quicker than I thought he would, as he stood up he blocked my strike, taking both of his swords and knocking my axes out of my hands. I tried to kick him in the chest, but he moved to the right a bit and grabbed my leg, throwing me across the road, feeling the gravel and pavement cut my face. I tried to sit back up but before I could I barely saw Fluorite throw his weapons at my shoulders, pinning me to the ground.

''You-'' before I even finished half of my sentence fluorite cut me off, pulling out one of the swords and stepping on the shoulder, aiming the blade of the sword at my throat.

''Yeah, yeah, I know 'you dastardly fiend oh how could you?!''' He said far too jokingly for the situation. ''But I have one thing to say to you first.'' He said as he pulled out the other sword and threw it, pulling me up by the collar of my shirt and putting the blade to my throat again.

''Congratulations!'' He said, throwing me on my back and tossing the other sword away.

''I- ugh, what?'' I asked, one side of me slowly slipping into the graceful arms of unconsciousness and the other trying to stay awake to see what the hell this is about.

''I wanted to see how you reacted if someone got the jump on you for training, and this was the best way to do it, sorry about the whole freaking you out thing, but it worked, didn't it?'' He said as he grinned.

''I really thought you were going to kill me you asshole!'' I shouted, and then realizing that some people probably heard that.

''I know, and I apologize, but hey you did pretty good, and you didn't even die or get your gem cracked! That's an achievement in itself.'' He said as he held out his hand to help me up, which I accepted eagerly, wobbling on my feet.

''You could have at least dropped some type of hint.'' I said, still a bit upset that he didn't even tell me that he was going to spring a training exercise on me.

''Like you would have taken said hint if I dropped one.'' He said.

I thought about it and sighed. ''Fair point. You at least have to drive me home then.''

''Why?'' Fluorite said.

''I may have almost broken this leg.''

''Ugh, fine if it'll get you to stop whining.

I started thinking to myself again _was he really going to go through with it but just chickened out? _I thought. Looking at him while we walked up the side walk to the cars. _I'm watching you now._

''So how the hell do you plan on explaining this to Citrine and Emerald?'' I asked.

''Oh they knew.'' If I was drinking anything at that point in time I would've spat it all out.

''What do you mean they knew?'' I asked as I got in the back of his truck, putting my legs up in the seat.

''I mean they knew. What else would I have meant?'' Fluorite asked as he got in and started it.

''I don't know.'' I said as I looked up at the stars.


	23. Flight

Chapter 23 – Flight.

I walked through the door of the apartment right after Fluorite, having a little bit of a limp as I practically dragged myself to the couch.

''Well you look like you got your ass handed to you.'' I heard Citrine say from about halfway across the hall.

''That's a pretty decent summary of what happened.'' I said as I glanced toward him. He was reading some type of map. ''So what do you have there?''

''Just a map of airplane routes, we might go to a place where several gems have been rumored to be seen.'' He said, and continued after a bit of a pause. ''Anyway, we think we might head there tomorrow if there's a flight open to the city soon.''

''Alright so what is the place called?'' I asked, I was always eager to travel to be honest.

''A place called Beach City.'' He said practically beaming with joy.

''Beach city? Isn't that a bit of a weird name for a place?'' I asked as I stretched out on the couch a bit more, feeling a little sore from that 'training' exercise.

''Hey, you live in a place technically called 'the town of Our Lady the queen of the angels of the porciuncula river' so you can't really judge, can you?'' He said.

''Wait, Los Angeles really means that?'' I asked, getting a silent nod in response from Citrine. ''Well isn't that ironic?'' I said as I chuckled a little bit.

''So what is Beach City like?'' I questioned, probably pestering Citrine.

''Well, it's like a large town on a peninsula, and a large cliff at the end of said peninsula with a giant statue.''

''That sounds unique at least.'' I said.

''Yeah, it's a little odd how you don't hear about these things that much.''

''Well you have to remember that the very very slim number of gems that are still here on Earth are becoming accustomed to humans, and them to us.''

''Yeah, but I doubt they forgot that the Diamonds enslaved them for about a thousand years.'' Citrine said with spite in his voice.

''Well at least that's in the past. ''

''Sadly saying it happened in the past doesn't help with these sorts of things, especially when they nearly killed off everything on a planet.''

''It's not like we could help that.'' Fluorite cut in as he took a seat in the chair across from me.

''I know, but maybe we can make up for it.'' I said, it sounded a little naïve as the words came out of my mouth, but maybe we could.

''If by 'make up for it' you mean preventing another invasion, then we probably can.'' Citrine said. ''I'm going to double check the flights again, and if we can get one we are heading out tomorrow.''

''Alright, I'm going to sleep then.''

''Try not to get your mattress too bloody.'' I heard Fluorite call out, and couldn't hold back a smile.


	24. Departure

Chapter 24 – Visitation

Waking up normally was a practically a rare delicacy now, always having that same stupid dream, and it always turns out the exact same, it seems so real as well, even though I know it's a dream it still feels like reality. As I got out of bed I stretched a bit and threw on some generic genes and a black T-shirt. I walked up the small little flight of stairs to already hear talking.

''So, are we ready to go?'' Fluorite said, wearing a backpack and looking around to see me. ''Looks like he's awake too.''

''If everything is set, packed, and locked then we are ready to go, just hope you don't forget anything, these tickets are expensive enough, even for a one way trip for four.'' Citrine said.

''I guess I'm set then.'' Emerald said, holding a green knapsack.

''I guess I am too, don't have much to pack really.'' I said.

''Alright then, let's go.'' Citrine said as he led us all down the cramped elevator.

''So, who are the gems we should expect to meet?'' Emerald asked.

''They're the last of the rebels.'' Citrine said, being oddly deadpan with the statement, probably just tired.

''How many of the rebels are left, anyway?'' I asked, the rebels were an interesting topic as always for me, since gems during the war were odd because you would either be a home world supporter or a rebel.

''I think there is just less than 5 of them around last I heard.'' Citrine said, as we all heard the elevator to a little blink sound and we all exited into the small garage, getting into Citrine's yellow car.

''Really? Just 5 are all that's left of that giant army?'' Fluorite asked as he raised an eyebrow.

''Yeah, at least if what I last heard is correct, although I have heard wrong information before.'' Citrine said as he started the car and we headed out. It got me thinking about how many people would be left on home world, I mean if there are less than 5 of the once great rebellion then how many could be left on home world?

''So remind me again the purpose of this whole very distant family reunion type trip thing?'' Fluorite said, he was usually skeptical about any plan Citrine had, to be honest that was beginning to rub off on me.

''Just to see if we share common interests and such, and to make sure they aren't the next group of people wanting us dead.'' Citrine said nonchalantly.

''So this is kind of like an odd scouting mission?'' I asked, seems a little odd even for one of Citrine's plans.

''Pretty much yes, that is all this is.'' Citrine said. ''We're almost there now, so if you have any weaponry or any metals on you just remember this is an airport, and Pyrope try not to set off the smoke alarm.'' Citrine said, chuckling at his own joke.

''Ha, really funny joke.'' I said unamused, _Could've been worse. _I thought. _He could've made a REALLY shitty pun. _The airport was crowded, so many people going in and out of Los Angeles these days, tourism, business, rich people and the like. Right before we got to the metal detector Citrine broke the silence.

''Wait, will our gems be detected by the scanner?'' Citrine asked.

''I doubt it, besides if it is just say it's some eastern garb for a festival or something.'' Emerald said, hoping that it really wouldn't make a scene. We all had our gems covered up, and had shape shifted to a more human-ish color, since it would just cause less commotion. Walking through the scanner and hearing no alarm was a huge relief and apparently even one for Citrine, since I saw him rubbing his temples after.

''Alright the plane should be this way.'' Citrine said, as we once again all followed him through a large crowd, then through a narrow hallway and onto the aircraft, all of us sitting together in a row. I'll admit I was a little nervous, since it was my first time flying, but I've been through worse anyway.


	25. Arrival

**Hey guys, hope everyone is liking the story so far, but I recently had a brown recluse bite on my leg, so far nothing major and getting it treated, but if I miss a chapter it'll probably be a doctor's appointment for it, but I also wanted to thank everyone for 1,451 views on the story.**

Chapter 25 – Arrival (Pyrope's View)

I pretty much slept the entire duration of the flight, just to wake up as soon as the plane neared the airport. When I could hear the attendants saying to leave, I stood up and stretched. When walking out of the plane I saw something odd out the window.

''Citrine, this isn't Beach City, is it?'' I asked, the only thing I saw was another big city from across the runway.

''It's not, it's just that this is as close as we could get.'' Citrine said. ''Like I said, it's a really small town.''

''And how do we intend on getting the rest of the way? Walking?'' Fluorite asked annoyed.

''Obviously not, we are just going to rent a car, and once we get there we can just walk around normally.'' Citrine said, and then looked deep in thought for a moment then frowned. ''Presuming nothing goes wrong, of course.''

''So, who are the gems that live here? Is rose still there?''Emerald asked.

''From what I heard it's a pearl, some gem from the kindergarten, rose and some other two.'' Citrine said, he had an obvious uncertainty in his voice.

''Wait, you said a pearl?'' Fluorite asked, getting a nod from Citrine. ''Weren't those the diamond's troops?''

''Correct, but I guess this one was rebellious.'' Citrine said with a small smile as we neared the rental car, it was an odd dark green.

''This is really what we have to take?'' I asked. ''It barely looks like it can hold us all.''

''Beggars can't be choosers.'' Fluorite said as he got in the back seat.

''We really aren't beggars.'' I said as the rest of us got in the car.

The entire drive was just through what looked like barren countryside, it almost made me feel uneasy really. The lack of people, of sound of everything that makes you feel comfortable in a big city. It looked like a god had stripped the world bare, and humans had just started, and trying to sleep wasn't working. The almost thirty two minute drive had turned into what felt like hours, just staring at the endless sea of grass fields.

''We're here.'' Citrine said, breaking my concentration, I shook my head and looked around; we were driving down a large hill, that lead to a small outcrop of land that had a city, and a large hill at the edge near the water.

''Looks close enough to the description.'' Fluorite said.

''Are you sure we should meet them right away?'' Emerald asked ignoring Fluorite's comment. ''Maybe get familiar with the place so we don't seem so odd to them?''

''I guess so, whenever you guys feel like going just remember, we need to all go at the same time.'' Citrine said, I wasn't really listening to be honest. I heard the sound of them opening their doors, so I got out too.

_So. _I thought. _What to do now._ I walked around, the city was pretty small, and the majority of buildings were just houses, shops, restaurants, normal things. I walked until I saw a large pier that extended from the beach to the ocean. _Looks interesting enough._ The majority of it was littered with attractions, like an old arcade, a few games you'd expect to see at a low budget carnival or something. I walked to the very end, where there really wasn't anything down there. I just put my arms on the railing and looked out at the ocean. I had never really seen the ocean this close, I had of course seen the beach at Los Angeles, but I always found the skyline and the dazzling lights on the rollercoaster and Ferris wheel more exciting.

_I wonder what the others are doing._ I thought as I walked back down the pier. I looked around for something else to do when I saw a lighthouse on that giant hill at the end of the strip of land. I walked down the road towards it when I saw what looked like a large hand coming from out of the hill. _Ah, that's the statue. _I thought as I shifted from a walk to a run to the beach.


	26. Field Day

Chapter 26 – Field Day

**Pyrope's View.**

I was almost out of breath by the time I reached the end of the beach. I looked up and saw the giant statue; it looked like it had a mask on, and it had 6 arms; although some of them were scattered on the beach. It was an odd scene to take in, there was even a tiny house in the center to top it all off.

''So, you came here too?'' I heard Fluorite say as I looked down the beach and saw him walking this way.

''I checked the pier first, and then got bored.'' I said.

''This place doesn't have much to offer, does it?'' Fluorite said as he stared at the statue.

''Not much compared to home really, but that will all probably change soon.'' I said.

''Hey, is that really what Rose Quartz looked like? I thought she only had two arms, you know like most normal gems.'' Fluorite asked as he scratched his head.

''I have no idea, I never saw her, if you're curious just ask Citrine about it.'' I said as I looked back to Fluorite.

''I have an Idea.'' He said as he started reaching into his pocket.

''You're ideas normally terrify me.'' I said as I looked back at him again, he had pulled out a cigarette.

''You smoke?'' I asked caught a little off guard.

''Yeah, that's not the point right now though, here hold this.'' He said as he handed it to me and I put it between my fingers.

''I'm not an ashtray.'' I said annoyed.

''I know you're not; you're a lighter.'' He said with a stupid grin on his face.

''Fluorite, I swear to go-'' I began to say but was cut off by it actually being lit in my fingers.

''Like I said, a lighter.'' Fluorite said with that same grin as he pulled it out of my hand.

''I hate you so much right now.'' I said.

**Citrine's View.**

''So do you really think this is a good idea? I mean I'm still a little anxious about it.'' Emerald said as we were walking around town.

''I think it is, the only way this can end horrible is if they really don't like us.'' I said with a frown. This decision was definitely easier to make for me than the last one, but it's still a hard one to make. ''But I definitely have more confidence in our fighting skills then our negotiation skills, so even if it goes horribly I believe we have a change.''

''I can agree with you on the last part, but why would they dislike us.'' Emerald asked.

''I don't know, but right now planning for every contingency is something I'd like to do.'' I said as I looked toward the giant hill at the end of the peninsula.


End file.
